Universal traveling unloader sucker for cotton gins



June 23, 1953 L. J. ZEIG 2,643,160

UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 19495 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Leo J. Zeig INVENTOR.

June 23, 1953 L. J. ZEIG 2,643,160

UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 19493 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. J. ZEIG UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FORCOTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Leo J. Zeig INVENTOR.

BY Q1.

Patented June 23; 1953 UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTONGINS Leo J. Zeig, Hearne, Tex.

Application September 20, 1949, Serial No. 116,800

2 Claims.

This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in a universaltravelling unloader sucker for cotton gins and more specificallypertains to a pneumatic conveyor having both horizontal and verticaltraversing movements for removing cotton and similar contents fromvehicles.

lhe primary object of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of pneumatic conveyors particularly applicable for use withcotton gins and having an improved adjustability for increasing theefficiency of the unloading clevice.

A. further important object of the invention is to provide a travellingsuction unloader for cotton gins having improved suction tube assemblywith a horizontal portion partaking of a horizontal traversing movementand with a vertical portion capable of a vertical traversing movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved suctionunloader in accordance with the foregoing objects wherein improved andeasily operated means are provided for effectively lengthening thevertical adjustment of the unloader, and for positioning the verticalportion of the unloader throughout various portions of a vehicle withoutmovement 01" the latter.

And a final important object of the invention to be specificallyenumerated herein resides in the provision or" a suction unloader as setforth in. the foregoing objects in which there is provided an improvedsupporting means for effectively journ-aling in a simplified andimproved manner the suction unloader throughout the horizontaltraversing movement of the same.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment ofwhich has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view showing a preferred embodimentof the suction unloader adapted to be connected with the operatingmechanism of a cotton gin, a portion of the wall of the gin throughwhich the unloader ex tends being shown in section, the middle positionof the unloader being indicated in full lines while the extremes of thehorizontal traversing l iovement oi the unloader are indicated in dottedlines therein;

Figure 2 is a side elev-ational view of the unloader shown in Figure l,a portion of the wall of the gin being indicated in section, thedepending or suction inlet tube of the unloader being indicated in itsmiddle position in full lines, and in its vertical traversing movementin dotted lines therein;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional dea 2 tall view takensubstantially upon the plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional detail view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the unloader, showingthe vertical component thereof together with a slidable andcounterweighted extension thereon; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view showing in end elevation theunloader of Figure 2, indicated in full lines the middleposition of theunloader in a vehicle, and in dotted lines the extreme positions of theunloader in horizontal traversing movement of the same, the side of thevehicle being broken away and shown in section therein.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, itwill be seen that the numeral 10 indicates a portion of a vertical wallforming a part of a cotton gin or housing for the same, this wall havinga horizontally extending opening or slot 52 through which the improvedsuction unloader forming the subject matter of this invention is adaptedto extend and having a horizontal traversing movement therein.

Housed within the construction of which the wall l0 forms a part is acotton gin of any conventional type, not shown, and to which the suctionunloader forming the subject of this invention is adapted to beconnected. The suction unloader comprises a substantially horizontallyextending suction head, indicated generally by the numeral I4, andadapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the cotton gin, notshown, this head terminating in an enlarged housing It having an openchamber in its outer end in which is received the correspondinglyenlarged and shaped end portion [8 of the horizontal tube section 2%).The portion I8 is secured within the chamber in the housing it, as by avertically disposed pivot pin 22, so that the tube 29 is capable of ahorizontal traversing movement in the slot [2 and in. the housing It.Any desired packing means may be provided to insure an airtight sealbetween the relatively pivoting members l8 and It, the principles of theinvention not being limited to any particular type of seal.

The horizontal tube 20 may be conveniently divided, as shown moreclearly in Figure 4, into two sections, 24 and 26, the end 28 of thesection 25 being of reduced diameter and slidably received in the end ofthe section 24 for rotation therein. Welded or otherwise secured to theouter surface of the section 2 t is an annular mcmber or ring 28 whichis received rotatably and loosely in the channeled portions til of aplurality of brackets 32 fixedly secured to the outer surface of the endof the section 24.

By this means, it will be seen that the sections 24 and 26 forming thehorizontal tube 20 are prevented from endwise displacement, but arepermitted relative rotation, facilitating the operation of the unloader.as will become apparent hereinafter.

The horizontal tube of the unloader is supported for horizontaltraversing movement by means of a monorail track in the form of an angleiron member 34 suitably mounted in spaced relation in a horizontal planeupon the Wall as by brackets consisting of horizontal members 36 andinclined reinforcing or brace members 38. A pair of straps or clamps M)are rigidly secured to and embrace the horizontal tube 20 in any desiredmanner, and constitute support brackets between which is journaled, asby means of a longitudinally extending axle '45. secured to the bracketsas by fastening nuts 44, a supporting roller 48 ,icurnaled upon, theaxle 42 by any suitable anti-iriction means such as bearings or thelike. This roller G8 is adapted to rest upon the monorail 35, therebysupporting for horizontal traversing movement the horizontal tube 20, ina manner which will be readily understood by reference to Figures 1 and2.

At its outer extremity, the horizontal tube is provided with adownwardly extending elbow 48 which, terminates in an enlarged hollowcasing 5.0. Secured in this casing as by a horizontal pivot pin 52 isthe enlarged upper end portion 54 of a vertical tube 56v constitutingthe inlet tube of the unloader. By means of the pivot pin 52, the tube56 is mounted for a vertical traversing movement, as indicated in Figure2. In order to adjustably lengthen or shorten the effective lower end ofthe tube 56, there is provided an extension in the form of a sleevefitwhich is slidably received upon the interior surface 023 tube 3 forvertical sliding movement thereon.

To facilitate the adjustment of the sleeve 53, a counterweight mechanismfor the same is provided. A pair of handles 66 are attached to 0D"posite sides or" the sleeve 58 and a counterbalancing cable 62 isconnected to each of these handles, and is then entrained over guidepulleys 65 mounted on suitable brackets 66 carried by the member 50, andover further guide pulleys 68, secured to bracket '1' carried by a clamp72 embracing the tube 29. The ends of these cables (32 are provided withsuitable counterweights the arrangement being such, that the weight itwill substantially balance the weight of the sleeve 58, whereby thelatter may be vertically adjusted ma ually to any desired elevation andwill then remain in adjusted position.

In order to establish a fluid-tight seal between the members 54 and 50,the upper rim of the member 54 is provided with a felt packing or othersuitable sealing means 16, which is adapted to frictionally engageagainst the inner surface of the member 50 during the verticaltraversing movement of the tube 56.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device will now be understood.A truck or other vehicle to be unloaded of cotton or similar material isdriven into an appropriate position, and the entire suction assemblyeither rotated about its slip coupling between the sections 24 and 26,or the extension 58 is raised sufliciently to permit the lower end ofthe inlet tube 58 and its extension to clear the sides of the vehicleuntil the inlet tube is positioned at substantially the central portionof the same. The cotton gin is now started, the suction from the samebeing transmitted through the conduit system of the suction unloader,picking up and entraining cotton from the truck and delivering the sameinto the cotton gin. It will now be perceived that the horizontaltraversing movement of the horizontal tube 28, by means of the movementof the roller upon the monorail track 34, will position the verticalinlet tube 56 throughout the entire length of the truck, as indicated inthe full and dotted lines in Figure 6. At the same time, the verticaltraversing movement of the inlet tube 55 with respect to the horizontaltube, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, permits the device to removecotton throughout the entire width of the truck. During both thelongitudinal and lateral movement of the inlet tube 56 throughout thetruck, the sleeve 58 may be easily adjusted to enable the lower endthereof to pick up all of the cotton from the bottom of the truck.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the device permits a singleperson to completely unload the contents of a truck without thenecessity for moving or adjusting the truck with respect to the device,and with a minimum of effort.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that numerous modifications andequivalents will readily to those skilled in the art after r.consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawingsand, accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction shown and described, but all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed asnew is as follows:

1. A universal traveling unloader for cotton gins comprising a suctionhead for connection with a suction tube assembly having a horizontalportion which at one end is communicating with and directly attached tosaid head, a supporting track. having a level upper horizontalsupporting surface intermediate the ends of said horizontal portion, anelongated support roller extending longitudinally of and dependinglymounted upon the bottom surface of said horizontal portion and restingupon said supporting surface, a vertical pivot connecting adjacent endportions of said portion and said suction head for horizontal traversingoscillating movement about the vertical axis of said pivot, said suctiontube assembly having a vertically disposed inlet tube, a horizontalpivot connecting the upper end of said inlet tube to the other end, ofsaid horizontal portion for vertical swinging movement of said tube andan extension slidable upon. the lower end of said tube.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lioTlzonta-l portion includesa pair of aligned sect ons, means connecting said sections for relatlverotation about their common axis but preventing relative axial movementof said sections.

LEO J. ZEIG.

References Cited in the file of this patent

